Slovakia - Agriculture

The agricultural sector is the smallest in the Slovak economy, making up
approximately 5 percent of the GDP, although some sources argue that
this proportion is higher. According to 1994 figures, the agricultural
sector employs 8.9 percent of the
labor force
, or 295,480 people. More than one-third of Slovakia's territory
is cultivated, and the primary agricultural products are sugar beets,
potatoes, wheat, barley, fruit, forest products, corn, pigs, cattle,
poultry, and sheep. Grapes for wine production are grown in some hilly
areas, and tobacco is cultivated in valleys. Animal products, including
oils, represent over 80 percent of all agricultural receipts.

Under the communist economic system, much of Slovakia's
agriculture, particularly on the plains, was collectivized, meaning that
small private farms were taken by the government in order to create
state-owned cooperatives. Under this setup, individuals who lived in a
village would be employed by the nearby collective farm. After the
collapse of communism in 1989, these cooperatives were transferred to
private owners, often by the direct sale of the farm as a unit, though
some lands were also restored to their former owners. The government has
embarked upon a long-term agricultural policy in an effort to modernize
this sector for the world market.

Food consumption has diversified with the introduction of the
free market system
, and food items that are not produced domestically, such as tropical
fruits, are easily imported. These items were more difficult for
individuals to obtain under the communist economic system.